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Perspective

Shale and Sandstone

My friend Vince and I took a trip to go fossil hunting. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do since I was young. Our first stop was a trilobite quarry in Utah.

The trilobite fossils were embedded in shale which is extremely hard and it took a lot of force to crack the rock open. A couple of hours of exhausting work and we had enough, we were ready to go. We did manage to get a few good fossils.

Our next adventure took us to Wyoming in search of fossils embedded in sandstone. Cracking open the sandstone was so much easier than the shale. A few hammer strikes and the sandstone would split open to reveal a myriad of life. We collected different sizes and types of fish, algae blooms, fish scales, vegetation and even fish droppings. Digging at this site was the highlight of my trip and my office is now adorned with what I collected.

A few months later I made a new sandstone friend. Jed and I had breakfast together and our conversation was all about what Jesus was doing in our lives. We would gently tap each other and the goodness of Christ would be revealed much like the fossils in the sandstone. It was such a joy to get to know Jed. We exchanged phone numbers and hopefully we will stay connected. I felt refreshed and excited after fellowship with my new brother.

A few hours later I had lunch with my shale friend. The experience was the exact opposite of what I experienced earlier. My friend believes in Christ but there is little fruit that is visible. Suggestions I made, about how he can experience Christ in a deeper way, had no visible impact on him. He seemed completely self centered. I came away spiritually exhausted.

We can all identify people in our lives who are shale or sandstone. Do you ever wonder why Christ followers can be so different? It’s important to examine our hearts to see if there may be areas in our life that still need to be crucified. Do we confess Christ is Lord but still have pockets of our lives that are off limits to Christ? Living for ourselves just hardens us up. Galations 2:20 says…

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Our willingness to die and allow Christ to live in our lives will truly transform us from shale to sandstone.

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Books / Videos

Get Your Hammers Out

Below is an excerpt from Secrets of the Early Church by Andrew Strom, first printed in 2004. You may agree with his thoughts or get deeply offended. I believe both responses are fine if they lead to honest discussions, but maybe it is time to get our hammers out?

Lately I have been taking a long, hard look at the state of the Western church, and how bad things have really become. And I have come to the sad conclusion that today’s religious system really is “killing” people. It is the ‘system’ itself that is doing this. It is set up in such a way that it is actually PREVENTING millions of people from coming into the kingdom. And thus, couldn’t it be said that it is actually sending MILLIONS to hell?

I know that is a radical thing to say. But isn’t it a fair conclusion to come to, at the end of the day? There are well over 100 million people attending ‘church’ every week in America. But how many of them are actually walking in the kingdom? How many are walking in true salvation? Or how many are headed for HELL because they are locked in a system in which they are never taught the BASIC ESSENTIALS of New Testament Christianity?

The religious system is imprisoning and destroying millions of people. It is a conclusion I had to reach. Most of them do not even have the BASIC GOSPEL preached to them anymore. If the original apostles heard what passes for the “gospel” today they would be horrified. I am convinced that there are millions upon millions of totally UNSAVED people sitting in our churches every week. And most of them are beyond our reach. They are locked away in systems in which they will NEVER hear the truth.

I have to admit that even the Pentecostal/Charismatic system (which is my own background) is pretty much as bad as the others. In some areas it is worse. Multitudes of people are being told they are “OK” when clearly they are not. They are being fed candy-coated half-truths. How many are truly right with God or have a deep walk with Him? Isn’t it true that many are not “saved” at all?

It is clear to me that we need to wage a “war” on their behalf. Not a war against people, but a war against the ‘lies’ that imprison them. “We do not war against flesh and blood”. So it is not ‘people’ that we are fighting. It is the lies and deceptions that need to be brought down. The Truth will set them free.

We need to see people repent deeply from sin. We need to see the ‘fear of the Lord’. We need to see good foundations laid in people’s lives. And then we need to see liberty and a deep walk of communion and intimacy with God. We need to see full New Testament Christianity. “Romans 8” Christianity, where people walk before God with “no knowledge of present sin” – a totally clean conscience before Him. And when these people gather and fellowship it is truly the ‘Body of Christ’. The “Religious System” is in the way of all of this – even today’s “Full Gospel” Religion quite often. It is keeping people sated with half-truths and a kind of ‘half-Christianity”. A “go to church on Sunday and you’ll be alright” mentality. It really has to go. And so it is time for war. It is time to contend for these people with every ounce of Truth that we possess. It is time to smash down the lies and bring God’s people out into the light. Religion is killing them. “Let my people go”.

Excerpt form Chapter Eight, Is our “Religious System” Killing People?
Categories
Perspective

Inherit The Earth

Perhaps you were as shocked as I was when this picture came out of a long line of mountaineers queuing to reach the summit on Mt. Everest. Apparently the government of Nepal was also a bit shocked. Nepal is ordering mountaineers not to share photographs of other climbers without government consent. It’s not the image they want to portray; I guess it looks too commercial, like a line for a Disney ride. However the cost of a Disney ticket is considerably less then the $50,000 to $160,000 you will shell out to climb Mt. Everest. I suppose taking a selfie on the peak of Mt. Everest is priceless.

I wonder sometimes why people like to go big. I look at pastors of Mega Churches and pastors of large churches that are striving to develop Mega Churches and ask myself why. I’ve also been in plenty of medium size and even small congregations that desire to grow large but obviously don’t have the charisma or organizational skills to do so. What is it in a person’s heart that thinks bigger is better? Is bigger always better? I’ve learned over the years to examine my heart when I find myself striving for growth and longing for the fame that would accompany an increased number of followers. It would be interesting to ask pastors why they want to grow large followings.

Vince and I camping somewhere in Wyoming

During one of our House Church gatherings, my friend Vince brought up the verse in Matthew 5:5 where Jesus says that the meek will inherit the earth. I’ve always had a problem with what “inherit the earth” means. I found this online at https://www.unityportrichey.org/inherit-earth.

First it is important to realize that when Jesus spoke of the “earth” he did not mean merely soil, this planet we call earth. It really means manifestation. In other words, your “earth” means the whole of your outer experiences, and to “inherit the earth” means to have power to bring your conditions of life into harmony and truth. Jesus was referring to the conditions of our lives from our bodily health outward to the farthest point in our affairs. So Jesus was telling us how we may be masters of our own lives and destinies. How then does Jesus suggest this is done? In a certain way that may seem quite unexpected… through meekness.

Sometimes Jesus doesn’t make sense. Through meekness we inherit the earth? In this world, I am tempted to think big, to climb to the peak of Mt. Everest with a long line of followers. I long for fame and fortune. In reality, like Christ, I find it better to have meaningful relationships with a small group of people. Spending time camping or having coffee with a friend brings me much more joy than if I was preaching sermons in front of thousands of church members. Following Jesus’ example brings harmony and peace into my life and I truly can say that I am “inheriting the earth”.

Categories
Biblical Church

Father or Uncle?

I’ve never had children. I am blessed to have had lots of nieces and nephews and it was a joy to have walked one of my nieces down the aisle to get married. When they were younger it was fun spending time with them, playing, hanging out, talking and then saying goodbye as they returned to their parents. Most uncles and aunts will have limited influence on their nieces and nephews. Parents are the ones that will struggle though the hardships of life and experience the joys associated with being a parent and then a grandparent.

Attending a corporate church once a week is kind of fun. Coffee and donuts in the foyer, greeting those around you, singing and worshiping, hearing an inspired speaker, a closing prayer and then home. I would say for most it averages an hour a week, for some there might be a midweek service or other activities. I would suggest going to a corporate church is like visiting your niece or nephew, have some fun but then you leave to go back to your normal life not really engaging in the intimate part of any ones life.

Parenting is not easy and doing life in a House church is not easy. You can’t hide and wearing a mask doesn’t work. People quickly see who you are and what you truly believe. Our culture and life experiences have shaped our personalities and our belief systems, sometimes for the best and sometimes not so much. We all have different ideas, theologies, gifts and struggles but when we decide to do life together we supernaturally become connected as sisters and brothers and commit our lives to Christ and each other. We love each other despite our differences.

Understanding our shortcomings and understanding that Christ still loves us despite those shortcomings allows us to show the same grace to others. As family we are committed to each other and we are committed to experiencing life together, not only one day a week but throughout the week. We bear fruit as we learn to love each other and pray for each other, allowing Christ to do the hard work of conforming us to His image.

Parents may be frustrated with their children at times but I would assume the joy and love they feel as their children grow and mature far outweighs any frustration. I pray the Lord finds joy as He sees us loving and caring intimately with our brothers and sisters.

Categories
Biblical Church

Body Building

My friend Derek, who makes amazing salads, has well developed biceps. Probably not as bulging as the picture below but way above the average males definition. Our House Church group knows that he works out about 4-5 times a week. I’m sure if I went to the gym and worked out like he does I would have well defined muscles also. I choose not to.

Although I don’t look like this in the natural, I sometimes imagine myself looking like this in the spiritual. Have you ever imagined what you look like spiritually? Do you picture yourself as a mighty Warrior pulling down the strongholds of the dark one? If not, the question arises…how do we get there, how do we ‘work out’ spiritually?

Sometimes it’s easier if we all work out together, helping each other grow. 1 Corinthians 14:26 says…

 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Edification or body building occurs when we all participate. Over the years, being a facilitator of House Church, this has been the greatest hurdle to overcome. Most people have been accustomed to going to a conventional church where there is no expectation of giving (except money).

There must be a paradigm shift in thinking. At first it is a struggle to engage and hear from the Lord. We are too busy or we just don’t know how to hear. It could be we don’t know what our gifts are or we don’t know how to minister our gifts in a small group setting. Ephesians 4:7-16 is another great passage…

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The last verse above is so important, especially where it says “…every part does its share…”. The mystery is that as we all share we all get built up! As a group we must be committed to going to this gym and putting in the work! It’s difficult at first but it does get easier over time.

Categories
Thoughts from Others

Dualism

I am posting an article and a audio series that talk about Dualism and it’s impact on Christianity.

Dualism: “Christian” Enemy of Christian Culture by P. Andrew Sandlin

https://docsandlin.com/2015/10/11/dualism-christian-enemy-of-christian-culture/

The need to rediscover the Hebrew roots of the Bible and Church, and practical examples of how Greek influence in our education and culture gives rise to un-biblical thinking and behavior.

Audio series by David Pawson. Website

De-greecing the Church part 1

De-greecing the Church part 2

Categories
Thoughts from Others

Identity Theft

A Case of Identity Theft: How “Ekklesia” Became “Church” from Jesus Movement Blog

It may come as a shock to discover that the English word “church” is a made-up word. But stay with me. I’ll explain. 

William Tyndale, the first scholar to translate the entire Bible into English in the 16th century, translated the word ekklesia consistently as “congregation” everywhere it appeared in the New Testament. This was a reasonable way to translate the word, given that ekklesia meant something like “congregation” or “assembly” in its non-biblical usage. In fact, when the NT was written, the word ekklesia was not a “religious” word at all, but one with secular connotations.

However, Tyndale’s use of the English word “congregation” was opposed by Thomas More, the English Roman Catholic scholar. On what grounds did he dissent? Simply put, the word “church” had come to be associated with a religious institution (the Roman Catholic Church), and translating ekklesia as “church” aided in preserving that association (one that was foreign to the original meaning, but essential for maintaining institutional authority over the masses).

But how did we get from the Greek word ekklesia to the made-up English word “church”? The word “church” is a transliteration (not a translation) of another Greek word, kuriakos, which means “the Lord’s.” From kuriakos comes “kirk” (in Scotland) or “church.”  It is an ambiguous word that could be applied to a people who “congregate,” but equally to an institution, a building, a clerical hierarchy or whatever else. It was a “wax nose” that could be easily shaped and manipulated. 

After Tyndale died, translators of the King James Version of the Bible (the one “authorized” by the King of England and Head of the Church of England), while using much of Tyndale’s prior translation word-for-word, when it came to translating ekklesia, usually chose the word “church” instead of “congregation.” This move assured that the true meaning of ekklesia would be obscured for future generations in both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. 

Five hundred years later, when we pick up an English Bible and read the word “church,” what comes to mind? Do we think primarily of the collective of faithful Jesus-followers in a house, a city or around the world; or do we associate the word with an institution, a building, religious services and rituals, a clerical hierarchy or a denomination? It seems our minds effortlessly now gravitate towards the latter, while we struggle with great difficulty even to envision the former.  

Categories
Books / Videos

Cheers Up

Lee West, Pastor of Cheers Church brings us back to the basics.

What Is The Church and Why Are We So Confused? | Part 1 | Lee West | Cheers Church

Play Video

What is a Church Gathering Supposed To Look Like? | Part 2 | Lee West | Cheers Church

Play Video

Should We Still Tithe and Give To Churches? | Part 3 | Lee West | Cheers Church

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The Church – What do Pastors Do? | Part 4 | Lee West | Cheers Church

Play Video

The Church – What Does The Church Do? | Part 5 | Lee West | Cheers Church

Play Video

Categories
Biblical Church

The Spirit of Cain pt.2

I noticed my friend had a significant spiritual growth spurt. So much so that I asked her what happened, what changed. She told me she joined a house church. I got angry and told her she was in a cult. I told her I was booking a flight to come down and rescue her. I was upset.

When I traveled down to see her I actually stayed at the home of her house church leaders, Teryl and Diane Hebert. Listening to their testimony, learning historically what happened to the church and experiencing house church changed me forever. The Bible came alive, the New Testament made sense and I finally found my missing puzzle piece. I returned home and I was so excited to share my discovery with my family and friends. Of course I was met with some skepticism.

Why did I get so angry; why do people get so angry when you share about house church? In Genesis 3:7 Adam and Eve sinned and they sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. In verse 21 God made tunics of skin…leaves weren’t enough. God had to shed blood to cover sin. It would set up a pattern of sacrifice and worship that would end with Jesus Christ.

The next chapter of Genesis records the story of Cain and Abel. God set in motion the shedding of blood to cover sin but Cain brought crops produced from his land. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock…he had to shed the blood of his innocent lambs. God was not pleased with Cain who wanted to worship God his own way. Instead of admitting his error and changing his ways, Cain got angry and killed his brother. Why did he get so angry?

I saw my friend experience growth and freedom and somehow I thought it was a bad thing. If you are a house church leader not everyone will understand what you are doing and some will be critical. Brick and mortar churches have been around for 1700 years and mentioning to people that there is a better way to worship is incomprehensible to most. Rejoice in the fact that Christ will bring people into your sphere of influence that truly want to worship Him in a more Biblical way.

Categories
Biblical Church

The Spirit of Cain pt1

Imagine you walked into a restaurant and ordered a steak. Twenty minutes later, the waiter comes back and puts a plate of spaghetti in front of you, claiming it’s the best spaghetti you’ll ever try. Would you be happy about it? No, you would send it back because it wasn’t what you ordered. It wasn’t even close!

I feel like this is what we have done with the Church. God gave us His “order” for the Church. He told us precisely what He wanted through His commandments in the Bible. In our arrogance, we created something we think works better. Rather than diligently studying His commands and delivering exactly what He asked for, we have been influenced by so many other things. We think about what we want, what others want, what others are doing. In the spirit of Cain, we bring an offering we think He should accept rather than what He actually asked for.

Francis Chan, Letters to the Church.
Vegetarians this is only an analogy please don’t get upset!

I encourage you to read Francis Chan’s book cited above and on my Resources page. The book is an honest account of his life and his struggles overseeing a large and “successful” conventional church. He eventually walked away and is now serving steak to those who are hungry for it.

For me, I grew up in church and have been a part of church and ministry all my life. As part of leadership we would discuss how we could do things better, attract more people, get the worship team to be tight, which refreshments to serve in the lobby, how to raise funds to build bigger or buy better equipment, invite special guests to speak, develop small groups, etc. etc. etc. It became a never ending amount of small tweaks to make the spaghetti taste and look more like steak. It is never enough, you can never turn spaghetti into steak!

When we bring an offering that is acceptable to God, He rejoices and we rejoice. There is a joy and peace I experience now that I have never experienced while I was trying to do church the conventional way. I have solid relationships with my spiritual family and my relationship with My Father has been really sweet. I challenge you to get involved in a more relational church and if there is not one around please contact me and we can walk you through starting one. You don’t have to be a master chef to serve a good steak!